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Petraeus, Crocker to Testify Before House Panels Today

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008  The top U.S. military and diplomatic officials in Iraq are slated to testify on the way ahead in Iraq before two House panels during hearings on Capitol Hill today.

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker are scheduled to meet with members of the House Armed Services Committee this morning and with the House Foreign Affairs Committee this afternoon.

Yesterday, the two officials appeared before the Senate’s Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees.

Petraeus and Crocker told senators during yesterday’s hearings that last year’s surge of U.S. forces into Iraq helped to tamp down insurgent-committed violence and increased security. However, they cautioned against further troop withdrawals once the last of the surge brigades leaves Iraq in July until post-surge conditions can be assessed.